Malinauskas Urges Albanese to Resist Populist Migration Cuts

In a sharp rebuke of rising anti-immigration sentiment, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has cautioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese against succumbing to the political pressures mounted by One Nation and other populist factions. Malinauskas argued that the appropriate response to anti-immigration politics is resistance rather than appeasement.

Addressing the current climate, Malinauskas emphasized that while he understands the anxieties of Australians regarding migration and the severe housing shortage, the narrative requires correction. He stated that the nation is not experiencing a migration crisis but rather a housing crisis. Consequently, he urged policymakers to calibrate skills and migration programs specifically toward addressing workforce shortages in the construction industry, noting that almost every trade sector in Australia is critically undersupplied.

The Premier expressed deep concern that recent political discourse has been dominated by culture wars aimed at migration, rather than robust arguments in its favor. He described this trend as self-defeating and asserted a responsibility to oppose it. According to Malinauskas, allowing mainstream politics to compete with populists on who can cut migration numbers the most is not merely unfortunate but represents a form of political madness.

To illustrate the economic folly of such cuts, Malinauskas drew a parallel to the mining industry. He suggested that if the government were to undermine a vital economic sector in a similar manner, it would be akin to killing “the goose that lays the golden egg,” an act that would undoubtedly be condemned by public advertising across all media platforms.